BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2012

Early odds from Ladbrokes:

Jessica Ennis 9/2
Andy Murray 7/1
Victoria Pendleton 8/1
Rebecca Adlington 8/1
Ben Ainslie 9/1
Mo Farah 9/1
Chris Hoy 9/1
Tom Daley 14/1
Paula Radcliffe 25/1
Lisa Dobriskey 25/1
Alistair Brownlee 25/1
Beth Tweddle 33/1
Rory McIlroy 33/1
Jason Kenny 33/1
Wayne Rooney 33/1
Lewis Hamilton 33/1
Mark Cavendish 40/1
Lee Westwood 40/1
Christine Ohuruogu 40/1
Jenson Button 40/1
Phillips Idowu 40/1
Louis Smith 50/1
Daniel Keatings 50/1
Gemma Spofforth 50/1
Luke Donald 50/1
Helen Jenkins 50/1
David Beckham 50/1
Andy Turner 50/1
Amir Khan 66/1
Heather Fell 66/1
Steven Gerard 66/1
Nicole Cooke 66/1
J Trump 66/1
Keri-Anne Payne 66/1
Phil Taylor 66/1
Kelly Sotherton 66/1
Joe Hart 66/1
Aaron Cook 100/1
Tim Brabants 100/1
Shanaze Reade 100/1
David Haye 100/1
Amy Williams 100/1
Chris Ashton 100/1
Bradley Wiggins 100/1
Laura Robson 100/1
Jo Jackson 100/1
Graeme Swann 150/1
Kevin Pietersen 150/1
Carl Froch 150/1
Stuart Broad 150/1
Paul Casey 200/1
Justin Rose 200/1
Anne Keothavong 200/1
Mike Tindall 200/1
John Terry 200/1
R O'Sullivan 200/1
Gareth Bale 200/1
Alistair Cook 200/1
Andrew Strauss 200/1
Toby Flood 200/1

Each-way bets 1/5 odds first 3

Yeah. I wonder if the BBC will purposefully NOT put a footballer on the list though barring England getting to the final and/or even winning it just in case we get another 'Ryan Giggs'.

I always think it's a highly organised gamble but it doesn't seem to be that high a number of votes (something like 150k?) needed to 'nobble' this.

EDIT: Today's Bettingzone Market News:

1025: Jessica Ennis is widely regarded as the favourite for the 2012 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Cycling star Mark Cavendish justified odds-on favouritism by landing the 2011 gong on Thursday night, polling almost 50 per cent of the public vote and thwarting a late gamble on Open champion Darren Clarke, who finished second.

Now bookies have turned their attention to the 2012 market, with athlete Ennis heading the betting.

Coral will give you a best of 7/1, but Sky Bet are keeping the former world heptathlon champion onside at 4s. Ennis will be chasing her first Olympic gold in London, but finished only second at this year's World Championships in Korea.

The Sheffield athlete is currently a 6/4 shot to win gold in London.

The market is unsurprisingly dominated by likely Olympians given London 2012 is the main event of the sporting year.

World 5,000m champion Mo Farah, who could go for double gold in London, is a best of 10/1 (Coral and William Hill), putting him just ahead of tennis star Andy Murray, who will also be gunning for a maiden Grand Slam title in 2012. Coral will give you 11/1 about the Scot.

Swimmer Rebecca Adlington, who will defend two Olympic titles, can be backed at 12/1, cyclist Victoria Pendleton, another Beijing gold medallist, is at 16s, with former world champion diver Tom Daley an 18/1 chance.

Cycling's Sir Chris Hoy, winner of the 2008 award after his three golds in Beijing, is 20/1 with bet365 and William Hill. He could go for three golds again next summer.

Sailor Ben Ainslie is also an interesting price at 25/1 with Coral. He could win his fourth consecutive Olympic gold, and fifth medal in all. Ladbrokes are more wary and offer 9s.

Of the sportspeople who won't be competing at the Olympics, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton and golfer Rory McIlroy are the highest in the market but both are rated 33/1 outsiders.

Cavendish is 40/1 to the award again. He will ride in the Olympic road race shorly after competing in the Tour de France. The sprinter will also hope to defend his world road-race crown.

Hill's spokesman Joe Crilly said: "The Olympic Games is undoubtedly the highlight of next year's sporting calendar and it would seem that only missing out on gold in London will stop Jess from scooping the BBC gong."

Following the controversy over this year's all-male shortlist, Hill's offer a best of 5/2 that a sportswoman wins the award next year.

Zone comment: Hoy is not a bad price at 20/1 given it is possible for him to repeat his three-gold feat. Damon Hill, Nigel Mansell and Henry Cooper all won the award twice so there is a precedent for double support.

Hmmm. Yesterday afternoon's Bettingzone Market News:

1515: With 2012 still a day away, Coral bookmakers are already seeing plenty of cash for David Beckham to be named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012 and have been forced to reduce his odds from 50/1 to 33/1.

The former England captain is proving the most popular selection from the early betting and is expected to play a major role in the home nations bid for gold at this summers Olympics.

"As one of the most popular British sportsmen ever, Becks wouldn’t have to do a lot more than lift the Olympic trophy in London in the summer to be a front runner for the award," said Coral spokesman Gary Burton.

Jessica Ennis is the early 6/1 favourite with Coral.

In related news...today's Bettingzone Market News:

1125: Sky Bet have pushed John Terry out to a best price of 13/8 to captain England in their first game of Euro 2012 following more rumblings about his position.

It was decided yesterday that Terry would stand trial on a charge of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand on July 9 - after this summer's finals have taken place.

However, that has not prevented calls for him to either stand down as skipper or be stripped of the captaincy.
Reading striker Jason Roberts has been among those to call for Terry to lost the armband, saying the dressing room would be "toxic" if not.

Sky Bet have duly moved their price about Terry leading England into their clash with France on June 11 from 11/10 to 13/8.
Steven Gerrard has been cut from 2/1 to 13/8 for the role, although you can still get 11/4 with Paddy Power.

I thought it was kind of interesting that BBC Radio Five asked Mo Farah, Denise Lewis and even Kriss Akabusi about 'inspiring songs' on Friday night's programme 'What's The Score?' (Mo went for Coldplay's 'Paradise' whilst Denise went for Whitney Houston''s 'One Moment In Time' and Kriss went for Soul II Soul's 'Keep on Movin'') but not someone like Jessica Ennis.

Are the BBC subliminally pimping Mo Farah as this year's winner!? Whoever wins the most Olympic gold medals still looks the most likely winner.

Current odds:

Jessica Ennis 13/2 (Betfred/Totesport)
Andy Murray 9/1 (BetVictor)
Mo Farah 9/1 (Coral/Ladbrokes)
Rebecca Adlington 12/1 (general)
Ben Ainslie 16/1 (general)
Bradley Wiggins 20/1 (general)
Victoria Pendleton 20/1 (general)
Chris Hoy 25/1 (Betfred/BetVictor/Totesport)
David Beckham 25/1 (Bet365/Betfred/Totesport)
Rory McIlroy 33/1 (general)

Any price on Neil Lennon?

OT: I doubt any of 'em could get enough of a fanbase but will the BBC go 'PC' by putting at least one Paralympian on the shortlist of ten!? There's probably at least one or two that will win multiple gold medals.